High-speed data communication integrated circuit (IC) dies are known to include both drivers and receivers. The driver of one such IC connects to the receiver of another via one or more signal transmission lines. Both the driver and receiver circuits include termination elements that attempt to match the characteristic impedance of the transmission line to the output impedance of the driver and input impedance of the receiver, as impedance mismatches degrade signal quality and consequently reduce communication speed and reliability.
Some conventional communication systems employ control systems that calibrate the impedance of on-chip termination elements for improved impedance matching. For a detailed discussion of one such system, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,500 entitled “Feedback Control for Termination Adjustment,” which issued on Jul. 9, 2002, to Gai et al.
Some high-performance communication systems employ current-mode switching for improved speed performance. Such systems include current-mode drivers, which convey digital signals by modulating current between values representative of different logic levels. The levels of current used to express logic levels are carefully calibrated and controlled to obtain rapid switching and low power consumption. The following issued patents describe conventional circuits for calibrating the drive current for current-mode drivers: U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,883 entitled “Electrical Current Source Circuitry for a Bus,” which issued on Oct. 19, 1993, to Horowitz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,462,591 entitled “Semiconductor Memory Device Having a Controlled Output Driver Characteristic,” which issued on Oct. 8, 2002, to Garrett et al.
The aforementioned calibration techniques for setting and maintaining appropriate termination resistances and drive currents work well in many applications. High-speed circuits are in a very competitive market, however, and must achieve ever greater performance levels to satisfy customer demand. There is therefore a need for area- and power-efficient communication circuits that exhibit improved speed performance.